Light redirecting films may be used in a variety of applications. Illustratively, light directing films may be used as part of a display or lighting device. Display and lighting devices may be based on a variety of technologies and can have very disparate applications. Regardless of the technology base or application, light directing films may be used to improve the efficiency of the light transmitted from a light source to an output.
One technology that has gained attention in display technologies is liquid crystal (LC) technology. An LC display (LCD) includes a liquid crystal material that is modulated to provide a light-valve function. In many LCD applications, it is useful to improve the power efficiency. Increasing the power efficiency of an LCD (or other similar display) may be useful in improving the image quality of the display, among other benefits.
One way to improve the efficiency of LCDs is by recycling light using light redirecting film(s). The optics of a light redirecting film may be very specific and detailed. A light redirecting film may include a plurality of optical elements. These optical elements may be shaped and arranged to redirect light in an LCD, making the LCD more energy efficient. However, there may be secondary effects of a light redirecting film (e.g., moiré effects or a moiré interference pattern) that reduce the quality of the display. For example, light redirecting films that exhibit moiré effects may have undesirable non-uniform brightness across the LCD screen. This non-uniform brightness may be due to an ordered arrangement of optical elements in the light redirecting film.
What is needed therefore, is an apparatus, or method, or both that addresses at least the deficiencies described above.